The Footie Thread

[Orikoru]

If we believe mental health should be directly related to salary, then you are correct.

I'll never earn that sort of money. However, if I did for a few years, I reckon I'd still have low points in life when things don't go to plan, including in my professional life.

And the post was made from McNeil's partner, not himself. She was probably only expressing an opinion on how they both feel at this time. Can that be over the top, when all she has done is express publicly how they are feeling at this time? I guess she could have just kept it private, albeit the feeling would still be the same privately.

I don't really see it as a mental health issue. Anyone can struggle with mental health issues at any time. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have.

My point was, if you have a career in football, there are undoubtedly many highs and a couple of lows. One of the lows is clubs treating you like a commodity as and when it pleases them. But it comes with the territory, and something they have to put up with from time to time to earn the money that they do.

As for his wife - hopefully someone gives her a nudge and points at the car she drives and the house she lives in and reminds her they're doing ok. Despite how annoying that one incident undoubtedly is.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Would love him to come to Spurs. Vicario seems to lurch from making the most incredible reflex save you've seen, to being flummoxed by a simple cross.

Could be a straight bun fight between the two clubs. I think the other key clubs all have a settled keeper. Saying that, Villa may sell Martinez and that brings them into the equation as well. Any of those three have to be better than getting splinters at City.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

It is no different. I wasn't trying to say that their circumstances are worse than a person in the scenario you mentioned.

I was just saying that whether you work at a minimum wage job, or you earn a fortune, you can still have your stressful low points in life. I don't think anyone is immune to that.

Sorry, I missed your point. Perhaps the person who penned that message then is a tad entitled and a little detatched from the struggles of real life.

 

[Swango1980]

Sorry, I missed your point. Perhaps the person who penned that message then is a tad entitled and a little detatched from the struggles of real life.

I think everyone is detached from the life that we don't live and experience.

No idea who his partner is. However, I can see it being really really annoying if you were emotionally and physically prepared to go to another city to spend the next few years of your life, and then suddenly it all stops. No money or loads of money, it is still going to be a major irritant in your life.

I don't really see it as a mental health issue. Anyone can struggle with mental health issues at any time. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have.

My point was, if you have a career in football, there are undoubtedly many highs and a couple of lows. One of the lows is clubs treating you like a commodity as and when it pleases them. But it comes with the territory, and something they have to put up with from time to time to earn the money that they do.

As for his wife - hopefully someone gives her a nudge and points at the car she drives and the house she lives in and reminds her they're doing ok. Despite how annoying that one incident undoubtedly is.

Indeed, a couple of lows. All that is happened here, it seems, that McNeil's partner has highlighted one of those lows, I'm not sure it is anything more controversial than that. The fact she has done it publicly probably just gives the public the words to how they feel, and how many more footballers feel when transfers fall through.

 

[Orikoru]

Indeed, a couple of lows. All that is happened here, it seems, that McNeil's partner has highlighted one of those lows, I'm not sure it is anything more controversial than that. The fact she has done it publicly probably just gives the public the words to how they feel, and how many more footballers feel when transfers fall through.

Can understand it to be fair, she now has to continue living in Liverpool.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Didn’t realise being at Everton was that bad

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Can understand it to be fair, she now has to continue living in Liverpool.

To be fair I’m not sure swapping Liverpool for Croydon would be an upgrade.

 

[AmandaJR]

A friend was married to a professional footballer and it's tough on the family. The profession comes first. Missed birthdays, anniversaries, weddings etc etc. Little control during the season over their life plans. So maybe she's feeling this let down more than him and venting a bit.

Does the money make up for lost time and memory making? Not really.

 

[PaulMdj]

A friend was married to a professional footballer and it's tough on the family. The profession comes first. Missed birthdays, anniversaries, weddings etc etc. Little control during the season over their life plans. So maybe she's feeling this let down more than him and venting a bit.

Does the money make up for lost time and memory making? Not really.

Yep, how dare someone living in a dream world with a partner on thousands of pounds a week complain.

She should read the random irritations thread on here to see how tough it is in the real world.

 

[Neilds]

A friend was married to a professional footballer and it's tough on the family. The profession comes first. Missed birthdays, anniversaries, weddings etc etc. Little control during the season over their life plans. So maybe she's feeling this let down more than him and venting a bit.

Does the money make up for lost time and memory making? Not really.

Still better than being married to someone in the forces , we don’t even get the money

 

[Arthur Wedge]

They won’t find too many sympathetic ears too be honest

Bringing in someone’s mental health is always a minefield

Missing out on a move to a new club will be disappointing for any player if that’s what they want but he still is employed by his current club and will no doubt be playing many games until the end of the season

 

[Swango1980]

They won’t find too many sympathetic ears too be honest

Bringing in someone’s mental health is always a minefield

Missing out on a move to a new club will be disappointing for any player if that’s what they want but he still is employed by his current club and will no doubt be playing many games until the end of the season

You'd make great money by offering to be his therapist

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Still better than being married to someone in the forces , we don’t even get the money

Ain’t that the truth! My Mrs goes through far more stress and turmoil than me, the upheaval of changing jobs, moving to a home you’ve never seen and having to change friend groups.

 

[AmandaJR]

They won’t find too many sympathetic ears too be honest

Bringing in someone’s mental health is always a minefield

Missing out on a move to a new club will be disappointing for any player if that’s what they want but he still is employed by his current club and will no doubt be playing many games until the end of the season

Well they've got a pair here. Money isn't everything and it must be a torrid time preparing to upsticks. The lack of a reason and respectful comms sounds pretty damned out of order.

 

[AmandaJR]

Still better than being married to someone in the forces , we don’t even get the money

100%. Doesn't lessen their pain though.

 

[PaulMdj]

Ain’t that the truth! My Mrs goes through far more stress and turmoil than me, the upheaval of changing jobs, moving to a home you’ve never seen and having to change friend groups.

Its not a competition though is it?
Our wives, kids and ourselves put up with a lot of disgraceful treatment whilst serving, but it doesn’t lessen the turmoil others go through in their lives.

As a couple they’ve had some awful times with her health over the last few years and maybe they saw this as a chance of a fresh start and to put that behind them.

No doubt some will dismiss her comments as apparently money makes it ok.

This isn’t aimed at you personally, just a general comment.

 

[Swango1980]

Well they've got a pair here. Money isn't everything and it must be a torrid time preparing to upsticks. The lack of a reason and respectful comms sounds pretty damned out of order.

I think that's the key point. Nobody is worried they'll go hungry. It is more to highlight the fact players are treated like meat, which i think most of us agree with anyway?

I'm guessing Palace were interested in him. Talks began, Palace did the big sales pitch. You'll love it here, you'll be a key player, we'll give you great money for a good length contract. All comforting for a guy in his mid to late 20's (?).

Talked it through with his partner. They must have both agreed to go for it. Probably really excited for the new challenge, new environment. Made plans, talked about it with friends and family, and built it up in their minds.

Then Palace simply dont fill in the paperwork, give you the silent treatment, and the life you thought you'd have is no longer. Sure, he still has 18 months on his contract at Everton, but doesn't help much when your mind had already expected, and hoped for a different future.

Will happen to many players at different clubs. You'd like to think a lot of clubs would at least communicate with players, treat them like humans, when things dont go to plan. But I expect others just dont bother.

 

[Tashyboy]

What’s that supposed to mean

https://twitter.com/x/status/2018436338823897113

 

[4LEX]

Players seem to over-estimate their own ability time and time again. Anyone looking at Phillips moving to City would have thought he was just taking the money to sit on the bench and play League Cup games, because he had absolutely no chancing of displacing a player like Rodri from the team. Phillips must have backed himself though I guess.

It's almost never a good idea for a young English player to move to City or Chelsea. You can count on one hand the number that have succeeded, whereas the list of names that have vanished and basically had to restart their careers, is endless.

I see James Trafford didn't get his move this window.

I think you're forgetting just how good Kalvin Philips was around 2019-2022. He was one of the first names on the England teamsheet for quite a while and had a brilliant Euro 2020. He was even voted England's Player of the Year. City were looking to freshen up the midfield and he would've obviously been expected to play alongside Rodri.

Worth a move but he didn't seem that keen to get out and play regular football again. I think Sidwell was one of the first young players to make a move to a big club for money, killed his career for a few years but he ended up doing well at Fulham.

 

[PaulMdj]

They won’t find too many sympathetic ears too be honest

Bringing in someone’s mental health is always a minefield

Missing out on a move to a new club will be disappointing for any player if that’s what they want but he still is employed by his current club and will no doubt be playing many games until the end of the season

Maybe she isn’t looking for sympathy, maybe she’s just trying to raise awareness that regardless of money or still being employed they are still human beings.

There’s been enough stories of footballers having mental health problems lately and it does no harm to make the authorities and those in control think a bit more about the impact of their actions.